REPRINT SERIES

 Kurt Weill’s “Tango Habanera” (often titled “Youkali”) originated in 1934 as an instrumental interlude for the stage play Marie Galante. The piece is cast as a true tango‑habanera, reflecting Weill’s fascination with popular dance forms during his Paris exile. 

In its chamber‑ensemble guise, the melody is supported by piano and a small grouping of winds and strings, preserving the original’s transparent textures, demanding from the players a keen rhythmic precision and subtle control of dynamics to capture the work’s blend of melancholy and urbane elegance.